Extreme Makeover: The Betty Edition
by cookie-dough
Summary: A model pulls out at the last minute, could Betty find herself helping out in more ways than one? D/B scenes.


AN: I don't own the show or anyone or anything related to Ugly Betty, or Extreme Makeover. Obviously. This is just an idea that came to me a few days ago, I forget when exactly, but since channel 4 have finally decided to start showing the rest of season 2, it gave me a boost. I guess it takes place just after 'Zero Worship', as that's as far as I've got episode wise. I love the scenes between Betty and Daniel, so I hope you enjoy this one. This is my first Ugly Betty fic, so be gentle. Just a light little fic, staring our favourite assistant.

* * *

Betty Suarez was sat at her desk at Mode Magazine, busying herself with paperwork, the hive of activity behind her was normal. There was always some photo shoot or fashion show to organise, as well as the magazine itself. She still couldn't believe that she, Betty Suarez, had taken part in a Mode fashion show, and not only that, she had enjoyed it. Although it didn't start out as she had intended, with Daniel rigging the scales to cheat the press about the weight of the 'healthy models'. She was happy with the outcome; and she had at least had a positive effect on one of Justin's friends. And that she thought was better than nothing. She looked up when the phone rang; reaching across her desk she picked up the receiver and spoke.

"Daniel Meade's office, Betty Suarez speaking." Her face soon held a look of disbelief. "Are you sure? I mean she's suppose to be here in..." she glanced hurriedly at her watch. "Forty five minutes. I understand, but isn't there anyone else you can send? No, okay, well thanks for letting us know." Betty hung up the phone. "Thanks for nothing." She pushed herself away from her desk, and made her way into Daniel's office.

"What's up Betty? You have that look."

She frowned, she had a look?

"The look you have, when you're about to tell me something that changes all of our plans."

"Oh that look, well you're right. Our makeover model has cancelled."

"What? She's meant to be here in like..."

"Forty five minutes, I know." She replied finishing his sentence as he glanced at his watch. "We need a replacement, I've got a list of people we can try, unless there's anyone in particular you want me to call first, I'll just work my way through it."

"No, just get on that list. I'll talk to Alexis, maybe we can push it back." Betty nodded as she turned to leave.

* * *

She sat at her desk, crossing one name off after another, her dialling finger was beginning to hurt. She remembered her first day at Mode, when Amanda had mistaken her for a before model. It only occurred to her then, that the before and after shots weren't necessarily of the same person. And since working at Mode, she had seen a few other tricks, which included taking a beautiful model, and transforming her into the before shots. Betty had never looked at a fashion magazine the same way again. She was trying her best to convince the last name on the list, when Daniel approached her.

"Well, thanks for your time." She said to the dial tone, looking at the phone in her hand with disgust as she replaced it in its holder.

"No luck?" Daniel asked.

"What gave it away?" she turned her chair to face him. "What about Alexis? What did she say?"

"She said fix it."

"That was all she said?"

"That's all I am prepared to repeat." Daniel said quietly.

"Oh." Was Betty's reply. "Isn't there anyway we can reschedule?"

"I wish there was, but we only have today. We've got makeup artists and photographers booked for this afternoon, after that they are unavailable, booked solid. We need this feature for the next issue, it's too late to organise anything else."

"Right." Betty said standing from her seat with determination.

"Where are you going?"

"To find a model."

* * *

"Please Amanda?" Betty asked the receptionist. "We're desperate."

"Please, have you seen the before shots of those women? There is no way you can turn this into...well." she said gesturing at herself then looking over at Betty. Betty glared at her, she was growing impatient, she didn't have time for this.

"Are you going to help us or not?"

"I would but Halston needs..."

"Forget it." Betty replied brushing her off, as she went in search of Christina, leaving a shocked Amanda in her wake.

* * *

Christina was, as always, rushing around her work space, trying to match one item of clothing with another. Her arms were full of different fabrics, and she almost didn't see her friend in front of her.

"Betty." She said, looking over the fabric.

"Hi. I know this probably isn't a very good time."

"Oh I don't know." She replied in her thick Scottish accent. "I've only got to dress an entire room full of models, in twenty," she grabbed Betty's wrist to look at her watch. "Scratch that, fifteen minutes."

"I'll be quick." Betty promised, following Christina to a mannequin, as she began dressing it. "Do you know anyone we can use for the makeover shoot? Our model cancelled at the last minute, and I've been calling everyone I can think of, but it's too short notice."

"I'm sorry love, but everyone's pretty busy at the moment."

"I figured it was a long shot, but thanks anyway." She said as she turned to leave.

"Let me know how it goes."

* * *

Unable to find anyone to help, Betty made her way down to the photo shoot to let everyone know. Riding the elevator down to the right floor, she stepped off, and into the bustling room. Once inside she was immediately grabbed by a middle aged man, dressed not that dissimilar to Mark, and pushed across the room against a white backdrop.

"Smile."

"What?" She asked, turning to the voice, as the flash went off.

"Okay, we're gonna need another one." The photographer said as the flash went off again.

"What's going on?" she asked.

The middle aged man reappeared, and pushed Betty into a makeup chair.

"It's about time; we've been waiting for you." He said. He stopped and eyed Betty from head to toe. He sighed, removing her glasses, he called for his assistant.

"I think there's been some mistake, I'm not the model..."

"Trust me, by the time I'm through with you, you will be."

"But..."

"No buts, I've got work to do." Betty sat there in disbelief, as the man's assistant began fiddling with her hair.

* * *

Daniel had spent the last hour or so listening to Alexis belittle him. He had gone into her office to explain the situation and their current action towards fixing it, when she launched a full scale attack. This was why she was running Meade Publications; this was why Daniel didn't have a shot. On any other day he would have had something to say, but he was buying Betty time, so he sat there taking it, keeping her distracted.

He finally re-emerged from her office, and went in search of Betty. She wasn't at her desk, and Amanda had been less helpful and more flirty. He knew he should have made more of an effort to find her, but after sitting through Alexis' scolding he wanted nothing more than to retreat to his office before he faced the music. Maybe she was right, if he couldn't organise a replacement for a photo shoot, how could he ever expect to run the company. He sat at his desk, as his cell phone began to ring, reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled it out. BETTY flashed across the screen, and he answered it.

"Betty. It's over, Alexis is right, I can't do this."

"Daniel, what are you talking about?"

"The photo shoot. I'll have to come up with something else, I have no idea what." He could hear music and chatter in the background. "What's that noise? Where are you anyway?"

"That's why I'm calling. The shoot is back on." She said with a nervous shrug.

"What? How did you manage that?" He asked with a surprised smile.

"Oh you know, the answer was right under my nose." She replied, as people fussed over her. "I'm gonna stay down here and make sure everything runs smoothly."

"Okay, that's great Betty, you're a lifesaver." He said hanging up, as Betty's phone was pulled away.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, Betty was pulled from her chair, and pushed into a dressing room. It's funny she thought, all the money these people had apparently couldn't afford them any manners. She was handed a number of outfits, and told what order to wear them, she would have been excited about taking part, were it not for the fact that she had not seen a mirror since her transformation had begun. Changing into the black dress that was handed to her, she stepped into a pair of high heel shoes, and wobbled her way out of the room. It was hard enough walking in them without adding the step down from the dressing room, and she collapsed onto the floor. One person tried to pull her up, but she embarrassedly shrugged them off, stood and straightened out her dress. She was ushered to the stage against the white backdrop once again, and noticed how quiet the room was, anxiously looking around, she found that the entire room was looking at her. She gave a small, nervous smile. "Does...it look okay?"

Someone yelled action, and the whole room came to life, she was given a final touch up on her hair and makeup, before the photographer began snapping away. Feeling silly at first she shrugged, "If you can't beat them, join them." And began posing, as the wind machine kicked in.

After several outfit changes later, she was finished. Returning to the dressing room to change back into her own clothes, she saw someone had since placed a mirror in the corner. Having been the only person not to have seen her makeover, she took a deep breath and approached the mirror. For a moment she was stunned, this was not the Betty Suarez who had left the house this morning, but she was still Betty. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, never had she imaged she could look like this. She looked down at her own clothes on the chair and picked them up. She was comfortable with the Betty she had been this morning, but a small part of her had enjoyed this afternoon. Sighing she spoke to herself. "For one day I can pretend, tomorrow I can be myself." She said with a smile. She took one last look at herself in the mirror, stood up straight, and marched out of the dressing room, and back to the elevator.

As the elevator reached her floor, Betty took a deep breath, smiled and stepped out. She walked right past Amanda who was doing her nails.

"Hi Amanda."

"Hi Betty." Glancing up, she had to do a double take, as a young woman who looked nothing like Betty walked by. She sniffed her nail polish suspiciously as if it had caused a hallucination, giggling as she got a head rush.

Betty walked back to her desk, heads turning as she went, and she dropped her clothes off in her bag. She picked up some papers from her desk, as she paused turning to face Daniel's office. He was on the phone, his back to her, gazing out the window. She had no idea how Daniel would take the news, of her stepping in, or rather being pushed into the makeover shoot. She had told him that everything was under control, but she highly doubted this is what he had in mind. Deciding it was best to deal with things, as opposed to hiding, which sounded quite appealing, she made her way to his office. Through the door she could hear he was finishing up, and quietly made her way into the room, stopping just short of his desk.

"That's great, I'll have my assistant make you an appointment." He said into the phone, as he turned and hung up, a little startled that he was no longer alone. He frowned at the woman before him.

"Daniel I'm so sorry. " She blurted out. "I looked everywhere and I couldn't find anyone, and then all these people started pushing me around and taking my photo and..."

Daniel paused as everything sunk in. "Betty?" he asked surprised.

"Yes?" she replied glumly as she figured this was the part where she got yelled at.

"Is it really you?" he asked stunned, a genuine smile on his face. The Betty of this morning was replaced. Gone was her fringe, her hair was styled with long waves and tied to the side. Her glasses were gone, she must have been wearing contact lenses, and her clothing was casual but stylish. Denim jeans, some low heeled shoes, a white gypsy top, accessorised with a belt and simple, but effective makeup. Daniel had been staring at her since she entered, and Betty was starting to feel nervous.

"Daniel?" he shook his head.

"Yes. I just can't believe it's you. What happened?"

"Long story short, I couldn't find a replacement for the shoot. I went down to tell everyone, but somehow I, ended up becoming the shoot."

"This is great Betty."

"It is? Wait, you're not mad? I was sure you were going to be mad." She rambled on, as Daniel approached her.

"Mad, why would I be mad? We got the shoot done, and this is even better than some model, we have a member of staff taking part in the magazine, this gives it depth."

"Really?"

"Sure, we can run a story on it." He seemed lost in thought as he looked at her. He couldn't believe this was Betty standing in front of him, although as he took the time to look at her, he could see the Betty he knew and cared about. Her brown eyes, that gave him so many different looks, when she was surprised by something he had done, both positive and negative, or when she wore her 'trying to save the world' face. Her smile, so bright it was infectious and of course her trademark braces. All in all someone looking from the outside would have seen a dramatic change; Daniel saw the change but could see she was still Betty.

"Daniel, you're staring again."

"Oh sorry." She gave him a small smile, which he returned.

"I guess I'd better get back to work." She shrugged, walking towards the door, but before her hand reached the door handle, Daniel spoke, causing her to turn.

"Betty. You look great. As usual." She smiled back at him, and left the office. Daniel watched her as she returned to her desk and began making notes. Running his hands over his hair, he sighed. He had seen, what he knew had always been inside of her, but he wasn't quite prepared for his reaction. He smiled, what had she done to him?

End


End file.
